The cost has always been a factor to the population as well as the healthcare providers. It is this cost factor in most of the cases that prevent individuals to abstain from taking proper medications, undergoing necessary treatments and most importantly a continual health care, especially in their homes.
However, just as in most cases of choice, the cost should not be the only factor to make a decision. You will need to look at the other avenues, options, and benefits and weigh them all with your needs to finally come to a decision.
The governments of different nations have always tried and put in their best efforts to reduce the burden of cost on the citizens. These programs are especially designed to reduce the healthcare cost load from older adults who typically have fixed and low income from their retirement benefits. There are even a few unlucky ones who have no income at all.
Different healthcare-related programs
You may have heard about Medicare and Medicaid programs that are specially designed and offered by the government to help different people needing a variety of health care, at home or in a nursing home or hospital. These people include:
- The older adults
- The people suffering from disabilities
- The pregnant women
- The people suffering from severe medical conditions and in need of long-term care in their homes
- The people with low income
- Families with children
- People needing personal care
- The people needing maternity care and even
- The people in need of mental health services.
If that is not all for you to cover the cost of health care and home health care, there are a few additional government-sponsored programs as well that you can avail, if you are eligible for it that is. These specific programs provide either health care benefits or health insurance to different types of people including the:
- Veterans
- Military families
- Federal employees
- Uninsured children
- American Indians
- Alaskan Natives and
- Inmates in federal and state prisons.
These government programs also support the refugees who resettle in the US soils. What is more, people who need health care due to mental health issues and substance abuse are also supported by these programs.
In addition to all these benefits, there are a few specific federal governments and states that also invest billions of dollars in biomedical research, professional education on health and home care and public health and prevention measures.
Current government-sponsored health programs outlined
Here are a few specific government-sponsored health and home care programs that currently exist. Know who is eligible to receive these benefits and the cost of each so that you can choose the right one for your care needs.
- About 54 million people receive Medicare coverages annually at a cost of $585.7 billion. Seniors above 65 years of age are eligible for such benefits along with a few individuals suffering from disabilities. Even inpatient services such as hospital care and outpatient services such as visits to the doctor’s office along with prescription drugs may fall under this coverage.
- Another 55 million people are covered by Medicaid at a cost of $449.4 billion that includes low-income adults and families, children, and people with physical or developmental disabilities. In addition to that, inpatient and outpatient services, long term care needs either in a nursing home or in the community and prescription drugs are also covered in this program.
- Expanded Medicaid under the ACA covers 11.2 million childless adults who are under 133% of the Federal Poverty Level and are newly included at a cost of $47 billion in federal expenses.
- CHIP or Children’s Health Insurance Program covers those kids who do not qualify for Medicaid otherwise. The coverage includes some basic healthcare services such as regular check-ups, physician visits, immunizations, and hospital care. More than 8 million children are benefited from this program at a cost of $13.5 billion.
- The VA or Veterans Health Administration program provides coverage for services such as inpatient and preventive care, mental health and emergency care, as well as home health care and transportation among other services. More than 5.7 million people are included in this program costing about $56 billion to the federal government.
- The Department of Defense TRICARE program provides care to the members of the military and their families as well as retirees through a mix of access to several military health facilities as well as contracts with civilian health providers. It costs the government about $39 billion to cover 9.6 million people currently.
- FEHBP or Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is one that covers all government employees and retirees. The federal government pays about $32.4 billion as the share of federal employee premiums. This provides private insurance coverage to about 8 million people as of now.
- If you are an American Indian or an Alaskan Native you can avail of the HIS or Indian Health Service program that provides a comprehensive health care delivery system and not just a payer. This, like others, also provides inpatient and outpatient care, ambulatory and dental care including pediatric care among other services to about 2.2 million people at a cost of $3.7 billion.
- The Federal Refugee Health Promotion Program not only helps the refugees to resettle in the US but also covers a few basic health care costs such as medical screenings, access to affordable care and health literacy support. Currently, 58,000 people have enrolled in this program which costs $4.6 million to the government.
You can also avail of cost benefits if you are an inmate in a state and federal prison for your primary or urgent care, chronic disease management, oncology, dialysis, forensic mental health, and surgical services among others.
If you have behavioral health needs, you can try the SAMHSA program like the 60 million people that cost the government $3.3 billion to support treatment and deterrence of mental illness and substance abuse.
Since all Americans are impacted by the cost of public health, these programs will surely help you and the government to prevent any disease outbreaks.
